Re-telling of Beowulf
by marleeB46
Summary: A fresh take on the Original well-known Beowulf story.


Re-telling of Beowulf:

The Tale of Beowulf's Descendants

By Marlee Bourke

IT WAS THE FLYER IN THE PUB THAT LED ME HERE.

I don't usually hang out in the pub, but lately it was the best place to find work. Usually it was just something small like getting rid of a few vampires, or taking care of a pack of werewolves, but this time it was different. King Roth of the Swamp had set out a bounty on Gargel's head. From what I can gather from my sources Gargel has been killing off a lot of the King's best men. The reward was what surprised me the most though; all you could carry in gold. That would get you a lot these days, especially after the Leprechauns took over that part of the world.

I decided to check it out, and that is why I am currently driving my old Ute up to the Swamp. I called some of my Contacts before I left and they told me they would meet me at King Roth's castle. I promised them their share of the gold.

King Roth's castle isn't much to look at; it is more of an eye sore. It is way too big and out of place in the Swamp, and the icky water from the swamp hasn't done much for the wildlife around here. I hit a pothole and all the weapons and supplies I have in the back clank against each other.

The gates ahead slowly open, meaning that at least someone knows I am here. I drive the Ute into the front Courtyard. Hesitantly I open the cab door, step out and walk to the large open room in the centre of the Courtyard.

When I get there a guard clad in gold armour holding a sword stops me.

"I'm here to see King Roth. I'm going to take care of your problem." I say, holding my chin up high.

"Enter." His voice portrays no emotion, but I can see in his eyes that he doubts me.

"Your Majesty." I bow as I enter the room. King Roth sits in a large plush chair, eating grapes and dribbling thick, purple grape juice down the front of his extra-large toga. I don't know what it is about the people out this way, but the love to do things the old fashioned way.

"What?" He asks harshly, spraying grape juice everywhere. "What do you want miss-"

"Bee Wulf." I say. "My name is Bee Wulf your highness."

"Bee Wulf… Ah yes, Beowulf's descendent, original slayer of Grendel and his mother. Well it seems Miss Wulf that he didn't do a very good job, with the mother at least!" He laughs coldly.

"And that sir is why I am here." He gives me an incredulous look.

"I am here to slay your monster, Gargel and if possible it's mother." I say.

He laughs. "You? You can slay no monster, especially one of his kind."

"What kind is that?"

"He is a shape shifter, a demon, the son of the Devil herself!" He raises his hands drastically, making it seem 'out of this world'.

"Herself? What do you mean?" I ask confused.

"The Devil is no man, Miss Wulf. It's a she. She lives with her son Gargel in the caves near the swamp. They say she can take on any form, she is not limited like her half-breed son."

"So the mother is the devil. Huh. WhoisGargel's father?" I ask.

"No one that lives today." A sad look passes through his eyes.

"huh." It is all I have to say. I can tell that King Roth is Gargel's father. It's just the way things are. It's always the current ruler of the swamp that falls prey to the Mother's charms; I think that's what she plans though, for her son to the heir to the throne.

"These lands are cursed. I swear it. Ever since Beowulf failed to kill the hag in the first place." He spits on the ground. I dismiss what he says.

"I have back-up on the way. The won't be far, then we will get to work." I excused myself and left. The gold clad guard directed me to my room.

"Can you arrange for my stuff to be brought up?" I ask.

"Of course Miss. It will be waiting for you."

"Thanks." I leave through the door beside the gate. The path to the swamp is now non-existent since everyone is too scared to go there. I am glad I brought my machete, otherwise there is no knowing how many times a nearby branch would have cut me, the long fingers dragging through my skin.

I REACH THE SWAMP.

It's deserted. I can't hear a single crow or cricket for miles. You would be able to hear a pin drop it is so quiet. The inky, black surface of the swamp is so calm it looks as if though you can walk straight across it.

A branch snaps to my right and I jump around, holding the machete out in front of me. A boy around my age steps out from the mess of trees, his hands held up innocently, trying to prove that he is harmless.

"Don't hurt me." He says. I lower the knife.

"Who are you? And why are you here?" I ask confused. The king had told me no one comes out here.

"Greg. My mother showed me this place once, told me not to be afraid of what lurks in the shadows." He points towards the entrance of the underground caves.

"They aren't scary you know. They are just… Empty. Sometimes you can hear the sobbing of the sea hag down there, mourning the loss of here previous sons." He looks sorry.

"What do you know of the sea hag? And her son Gargel?" I ask.

"They are both harmless, ever since Beowulf did what he did anyway. Gargel isn't the one who has been killing all the King's men, he is lying. He wants them both gone because of the one mistake that he made."

"He is Gargel's father, isn't he?" I ask. Greg flinches a little.

"Yes he is."

"If they are so harmless, why has no one killed them yet?" I ask, my confusion growing. There is something off about Greg, a soft ripple that runs through his skin every now and then.

"Because they are cunning. They blend with the rest of the townspeople." My heads clicks like someone flicks a light bulb on.

"You're Gargel." I say calmly, surprising myself. "Your skin, it ripples! And you aren't afraid to enter the caves, your mother… Oh god!" I moan. I raise the knife again.

"Listen Bee Wulf, I'm harmless! Honestly I never killed anyone in my life!" He knows my name.  
"I know. But I can't ignore the fact that you're a monster." I know I have to kill him, but there is something about him, a flicker of innocence that I can't ignore.

"You have to. You know that I am innocent. You don't believe the stories; you know that there is something else killing the Kings men, don't you?"

"Yes I do, so I won't kill you, but I need to know, do you know what is?" I ask trying to solve the problem that brought all the way out here.

"No. I don't know. Whatever it is it isn't from around here. It is ruthless, it desires blood."

"Vampires." I whisper.

"You have to leave Gargel; they will be here for you soon. My cousin Beowulf the III among them and he has a habit of killing anything, especially something that comes from the one who was the death of our descendent. And now there are vampires, in the swamp! Please warn your mother and leave."

"We can't." He says.  
"Why not?" I ask exasperated.

"Because they are already here, they are on their way to kill themselves a monster." He says.

As he finishes I hear the horn of Wulf. I wasn't expecting my back-up for a few days.

"Already?" I rake my hands through my hair uselessly.

"Get out of here Bee, or you will just be someone who got in the way." I turn to leave just as a dreading presence fills the swamp. Chills run up and down my spine and all my hair stands on end. A cold breeze sweeps over the Swamp and the heavy sound of beating wings fill the air.

"My mother." Gargel whispers. A high pitch whining accompanies the beating of wings, my ears vibrate with the noise and seeps into my head, rebounding off the walls of my skull.

The beating stops and the most stunningly deadly woman lands next to Gargel. Her limbs are long and graceful; her skin seems to ooze something shiny. Her wings soft, plush and raven black appears to have a thick, black tar coating dripping down the once soft feathers. Her face is round and soft-looking, her cheekbones high and elegant and her big, round eyes glowing a bright, alluring green.

She turns to Gargel and speaks in what seems to be a sort of native tongue. He nods and responds in the same language.

"She says that there are more of them then you were expecting." Gargel says.

"Your cousin brought company." That sounds exactly like him. I nod.

"You need to leave, or at the least hide." Gargel says. "You can't be caught in the middle of this."

"OK. I will leave, but please, if you can don't hurt them too much." I turn and run into the neighbouring trees.

ABOUT A HUNDRED METRES AWAY FROM THE SWAMP I STOP.

I could tell that just at that moment Beowulf and the rest of the Contacts and whoever Beowulf had invited along had reached the swamp. I can't make out what Beowulf says, but I can tell that he is mad.

I crouch down amongst the lower branches and long dead grass and listen. Suddenly the sea hag rises into the air, swooping down and picking up some of the company in her now long, large and sharp talon like claws. I stifle a gasp as she flies up and realises them to fall to their death. I stalk closer, trying to get a better look at the battle.

Beowulf had gone straight for Gargel. Gargel now had similar claws to his mother, deflecting every slash of Beowulf's sword. One of the contacts swords pierce Gargel's mother, temporarily distracting him from Beowulf. Beowulf takes this as an advantage, sliding the sword straight through Gargel's chest. Gargel looks surprised; his hand flies straight to his chest where a constant stream of thick red blood flows freely. Gargel drops to his knees and then falls forward, never moving again.

Gargel's mother screams in rage. She swoops down knocking nearly everyone left standing into the placid swamp, instantly horrid screams arise as the flesh of their bodies is slowly melted away. The hag swoops down and picks Beowulf up with her razor-sharp talons. She does a lap around the swamp, swoops down and enters the cave, taking Beowulf to the deep, darkness of her home.


End file.
